McKittrick Canyon

McKittrick Canyon is a valley in Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the west of Texas, known for its fall foliage. Springs feed woodlands of bigtooth maple and other deciduous trees that turn red in late fall. The color usually peaks around the end of October, with good color lasting into the first week of November; timing varies from year to year. According to Wikivoyage, the canyon is also home to the only trout stream in Texas where the fish reproduce naturally.

The trail leads to a stone cabin, the early-1930s vacation home of geologist Wallace Pratt (Pratt Lodge, about 3.9 km from the visitor center). Pratt had bought the land in 1921, built two houses and later donated large parts of it to the park; figures vary between roughly 5,000 and 6,000 acres.

For road-trippers: McKittrick Canyon is a day-use area. According to the national park it is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the gate on the highway is locked in the evening (information from 2022, check hours in advance). On fall weekends the parking lot at Pine Springs is often full; come on a weekday or plan an alternative. Water is available at the trailhead, but bring plenty anyway.